Some relief in far north Queensland

The Bureau of Meteorology announced today that heavy monsoon rain
during February, removed or significantly eased, long-term (since
mid-2002) rainfall deficiencies
along the northeast Queensland coast.
Nevertheless, rainfall deficits remain in patches through inland
eastern Australia, in the southeast of the mainland and in northwest
WA.

Rainfall totals of more than 400mm (100% to 200% of average) along
the far northeast Queensland coast during February, eased or removed
long-term rainfall deficiencies. This was particularly the case near
Cairns and in areas north of Princess Charlotte Bay.

20-month rainfall deficiencies

However, for the 20-month period from
July 2002 to February 2004, rainfall deficiencies still persist
along parts of north Queensland’s Pacific coast, and in patches over
inland eastern Australia (see map inset). The largest such region,
which is near and to the west of a line joining Charleville in
southern Queensland and Bourke in northern NSW, endured exceptional
heatwave conditions during February.

Also affected is an area of the southeast mainland that includes
patches of the Central Tablelands, Southwest Slopes and Plains,
Southern Tablelands, and South Coast and Illawarra districts in NSW,
together with most of Gippsland and the Central district in Victoria.
Record low falls for the 20-month July to February period have been
registered near Bairnsdale
in southeast Victoria. In WA, long-term rainfall deficiencies are
confined to a relatively small patch between Exmouth and Dampier.